Top-spinning pistol



(No Model.)

I. N. PHIPPS. TOP SPINNING PISTOL.

No. 458,483. Patented Aug. 25, 1891.

d o WIWESSES.'

1 l 'I l l l UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

ISAAC NEVTON PHIPPS, OF MOUNT STERLING, KENTUCKY. l

TOP-SPINNING PISTOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,483, dated August 25, 1891.

Application filed December l2, 1890- Serial No. 374,487. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC NEWTON PHlPrs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mount Sterling, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top- Spinning Pistols; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figurel is a side view of myimproved topspinning pistol or toy pistol. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail side view of the bifurcated socket at a right angle to Figs. l and 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to that class of toy pistols or top-spinning pistols in which the top receives its initiative rotary motion from a spindle having a spring coiled around it, which spring may be wound and again released, revolving the top, which is secured in a suitable socket in the end of the spindle, from which the top may ily after receiving the rotary motion; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of .such a pistol, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the stock of the pistol, and B is the barrel, which is provided near its end with a cylindrical casing or spring-barrel C,

to the inner side of which a spring D is secured, which spring is secured at the other end to a spindle or shaft E, journaled in the top and bottom of the casing. The upper end of the spindle is provided with a removable key F, which, however, may be replaced by a rigid knob, and by means of which key or knob the spindle may be revolved, winding the spring upon the same, and the lower end of the spindle is formed with a bifurcated socket G, into which the correspondingly-shaped upper end H of the stern of the top I may be inserted, fitting loosely therein. These bifurcations are oppositely curved or beveled, as seen in Fig. 4. The

spindle is furthermore provided with a ratchet-wheel J inside of the casing, and the teeth of this ratchetwheel are engaged by the hooked or shouldered end K of a lever L, which is formed with a curved forward portion M, passing around the periphery of the ratchet-wheel, and which is pivoted near its rear end within the barrel, rocking in a horizontal plane. A spring N is secured within the barrel and bears against the forward arm of the lever, forcing the hooked or shouldered end toward the ratchet-wheel. The rear end of the pawl-lever is beveled to one side, and the upper end of a trigger O bears against the beveled end P,so that it will be seen that by pulling the trigger the upper arm thereof will bear against the beveled end of the pawllever, forcing the rear end to one side and tilting the beveled and shouldered end out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel. An arm Qis pivoted with its upper end between two perforated lips R R upon the under side of the barrel near the stock, and the lower forwardly-projecting end of the arm is formed with a horizontal plate S, preferably grooved or otherwise roughened, upon which plate the foot or point of the top may rest while the upper end of the stem is held in the bifurcated socket. The upper end of the arm is formed with a rearwardly-projecting lug or arm T, which is formed with an upwardlyprojecting pin U, around which the lower end of a springV is secured, the upper end of the said spring bearing against the under side of the barrel and forcing the horizontal plate to bear against the foot of the top, while allowing the arm to yield sufficiently to admit of the top being inserted in position for spinning and of its flying out when the spring is released and the top revolved. It will thus be seen that when the spring is wound the pawl-lever will prevent the spring from again being unwound, the shoulder of the lever bearing against a shoulder of a ratchettooth, being forced against it by the spring, and when now the stern of the top is inserted into the bifurcated socket of the spindle and the pointed foot of the top is placed upon the horizontal plate of the arm the top may be revolved by pulling the trigger, which will tilt the pawl-lever to one side, disengaging it from the ratchet-wheel and allowing the IOO spring to be` suddenly unwound, thereby rotating the spindle or shaft E and the top. By now pressing upwardly upon the lug T of the arm Q the free end of the latter will be depressed and the top released.

Having th us described my inventioml claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- -l. In a device for spinning tops, the co1nbination of a spindle having a socket for the reception of the upper end of the stem of the top and having means for imparting swift rotary motion to it with an arm pivoted at its upper end and having a horizontal plate at its lower end for the support of the foot of the top and having a rearwardly-projecting arm having a spring for forcing the plate up- ;ya, as and for the purpose shown and set 2. In a device for spinning tops, the coinblnation of a spindle having a bifurcated socket for the reception of the stein of a top with an arm having a horizontal plate at its lower end for the support of the foot of the top and having' means for forcing the said plate upward, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In a top-spinning pistol, the combination of a spindle having-a spring secured to it and wound upon it and havingl a socket for holding the top, means for winding the spring, a ratchet-wheel secured upon the spindle, a horizontal lever having a curved forward portion provided with a hooked or shouldered end engaging the ratchet-wheel and having its rear end beveled, a spring bearing against the forward arm of the lever, forcing it toward the ratchet-wheel, and a trigger bearing with its upper end against the rear beveled end of the lever, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

i. In a topspinning pistol, the combination of a barrel having a horizontal cylindrical casing near its outer end and having two perforated lips near the stock, a spindle journaled in the cylindrical casing and having means for winding it at the upper end and a bifurcated socket for the stem of a top at its lower end and provided with a ratchetwheel, .a spring secured to the s ide of the casing and to the spindle, winding upon the Same, a lever pivoted horizontally near its rear end and having a curved forward portion formed with a hooked or shouldered end and a rear beveled end, a spring bearing against the forward arm of the lever, forcing it against the ratchet-wheel, a trigger bearing with its upper end against the beveled rear end of the lever, an arm pivoted with its upper end between the lips of the barre-l and having a horizontal plate at its lower for- Wardly-inclined end and a rearwardly-projecting stud at its upper end and formed with an upwardly-projecting pin, and a spring secured with its lower end upon the pin and bearing with its upper end against the under side of the barrel, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as inyown I have hereunto aixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ISAAC NEWTON PHIPPs.

Witnesses:

\V. A. DE I-IooEN, J. P. CAssinY. 

